Mastiphal stand with Christ Agony and Behemoth as forerunners of the Polish Black Metal movement. Formed in 1992, they disappeared for a few years between 1998 and 2009 when they re-formed. Having supported Mayhem last year, they have marked their return with the darkly atmospheric and varied work “Parvzya”.
Evil features throughout this album as you’d expect. Uncompromising blasts mix with great technical skill right to the very last track, the majestic “Triumph of Destruction”. To begin with, the bells lead us into the triggering heaviness and evil-sounding guitar work of “The Wall of Phantom”. As the album developed, I thought in parts there was a Norwegian feel about it. “Under the Sign of the Morning Star” is steady in its pace and all the more creepy. It’s bleak, nasty and yet melodic. Later on the album the title track “Parvzya” has the same qualities. Eerie screams are followed by a slow, punishing rhythm, later stepping up in pace, which is reminiscent of Khold. Malevolence and nastiness dominate but there’s plenty of variety. “May He Rot in Hell” is a rapid-fire blasting track. Towards the end, the guitar wanders off anarchically on its own. “Man Strikes God Falls” is equally hard-hitting and is quite hooky, slowing down at the end as the vocalist ominously reinforces the message of the track’s title. By contrast “Sobvereign’s return” is utterly black. This time it’s a case of sophisticated nastiness. In fact it has the tones of Dark Fortress’s blood-curdling “While They Sleep” on the Germans’ “Séance” album. “Nihil Esse” signifies yet another change of mood. As ever it’s dark and violent but this fluid track is also fast, punishing and melodic. Melody isn’t usually far away.
“Parvzya” is an interesting and deliberate album. Never losing the spirit of evil and aggression, it is enveloped in a blanket of sounds and utterly dark moods. Largely old school in style, it is varied in pace and there’s plenty of melody. As well as being Black Metal to the core, “Parvzya” is an enjoyable musical work.
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Andrew Doherty
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